


The Only One Following, Loving You.

by jeffgangfan



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Dedication, Following, Heartache, M/M, This one takes place post Battle of Labyrinth and pre The Last Olympian, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-09 16:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5547317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeffgangfan/pseuds/jeffgangfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Percy, you have to stop.” Nico told him and the words hurt. “I won’t go back.”</p>
<p>“You’re a son of Hades, one of the Big Three. I can’t let Kronos find you.” Percy said weakly as he lied against Mrs. O'leary’s side. He hadn’t got the hang of shadow travelling yet and the increasing frequency of his “walks” was making him less and less healthy, which was bad since the war with Kronos would break out any minute now. Whenever he told his mother he was taking Mrs. O’leary out for a walk, she would let him go without knowing that he would be walking his hellhound across several states of the country to search for Nico di Angelo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Only One Following, Loving You.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, Rick Riordan does.
> 
> Hi sweetie! Here is a small thing that I wrote in order to dampen your Holiday mooooood.
> 
> This is best read while listening to Maps- Maroon 5

“Percy, you have to stop.” Nico told him and the words hurt. “I won’t go back.”

“You’re a son of Hades, one of the Big Three. I can’t let Kronos find you.” Percy said weakly as he lied against Mrs. O'leary’s side. He hadn’t got the hang of shadow travelling yet and the increasing frequency of his “walks” was making him less and less healthy, which was bad since the war with Kronos would break out any minute now. Whenever he told his mother he was taking Mrs. O’leary out for a walk, she would let him go without knowing that he would be walking his hellhound across several states of the country to search for Nico di Angelo.

“Sounds like you’re afraid that I’ll turn against you.” Nico commented, his arms crossed as if to protect him against Percy. His face was a canvas painted with different emotions. Pain, resentment, resignation and exhaustion. Nico was indeed protecting himself of what Percy made him feel.

The hero didn’t know this. He only knew that he had been trying so hard to search for Nico and the boy kept pushing him away.

“I know you won’t.” Percy said and he honestly believed so. He just didn’t know why his statement made Nico wince. The son of Hades had realized that he would go to any length for the hero in front of him not so long ago when he interfered a fight between Percy and a Laistrygonian unarmed. This was why such statement hurt so much. Percy would never comprehend the feeling that Nico developed for him. He had someone else. Someone else more talented and beautiful and was a girl. Annabeth.

“Please come back to Camp.” Percy pleaded Nico, his voice showed that he hadn’t felt any less nauseous. Mrs. O’leary pushed her mouth against his head and Percy hummed. “We really need you there.”

Nico felt frustrated. Stuck. Because Percy was treating him as if he was precious and he didn’t know how to take, to accept the kindness Percy offered him without over-thinking.

“Why are you lying?” Nico asked and he saw Percy’s face fell. “Why are you always lying? They don’t want me, they hated children of Death.”

“I can’t come back to a place that has never welcomed me in the first place. I heard what they said. They want me dead.” Percy caught a glimpse of tears sliding down Nico’s pale cheeks. The sea demigod felt his heart ache. He knew Nico didn’t do anything wrong to deserve being discriminated against. Nico was hurt because of him.

“You’re afraid of me, too, aren’t you?” Nico directed his anger at the limp hero, who hadn’t been able to reason back. “You shiver whenever you see me. You’re afraid of me and what I am capable of. You’re afraid of death.”

“I am.” Percy started to feel his pent up anger slipping in the words he was about to throw out. “I am afraid of death, okay? I don’t want to die and to never see my family and friends again. Why would that be wrong?”

“No one would love me.” Nico told him. “They are always afraid.”

Percy wanted to hold Nico in his arms, but the closest the younger had allowed him to give was a brief hug. He thought he understood the words right. He thought he understood Nico.

No, Percy didn’t. He didn’t get it that Nico meant him, that Nico believed the hero would never be able to love him, not in the way he wanted. That the hero was so close yet so distant to Nico.

“I am not afraid of you. I don’t hate you, Nico.” Percy finally sat up and tugged at Nico’s tight jeans. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Please come back. You’re safe at Camp.” Nico winced when Percy persisted. He couldn’t tell Percy that he hated going back Camp to see people act normally as if Bianca had never died. He didn’t want to be ignored or mistreated by his own kind there. He…

He didn’t want to see Percy and Annabeth so happy together. He didn’t want to see something he could not have.

Percy tried to stand up when he saw Nico heave a sigh that almost sounded like a sob, but the younger boy pushed him back down, signaling that Percy should rest. Percy reached the bag next to him and offered Nico one of his old jackets. Percy would always gave Nico an item of clothing whenever he sensed that he couldn’t persuade Nico to return to Camp and Nico would accept it every time.

“Thank you, Percy.” He kneeled and pulled Percy’s face in for a peck on the cheek. He had started doing that when he finally figured out an excuse to make sure Percy wouldn’t know this gesture was romantic. Putting it as “a gesture of gratitude in Italy” and he was able to fool Percy easily.

“Take care of him, girl.” He petted Mrs. O’leary, didn’t dare to look into Percy’s eyes after his chaste kiss. Nico offered her a treat too quickly and vanished into the shadow that the beautiful sunset offered him.

He left Percy behind, just as always.

Percy sighed and swung his arm on his forehead. He didn’t understand why Nico would always refuse to go back. And why his heart would always feel so heavy after every unsuccessful attempt.

Nico just didn’t get it. If the whole Camp didn’t accept him, Percy would be the one who loved him, who cared about him. The only one to do so, no matter what.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry, sweetie. *hugggg*
> 
> You do know that this is the foundation to a happy relationship between them, right?


End file.
